"Don't cry because it's over, smile because it happened."
― Dr. Seuss

Chapter 15: A Hot Neighbor

   Riya opened her room door, curious to find out who rung the door bell. She spotted Madhan talking to a tall, well built man. She couldn't see his face, but she could tell from his frame that he was a guy who worked out.

   Madhan heard the door open and turned around to see Riya standing there.

   "Come here," he said, not unkindly.

   Riya timidly walked to where he was standing and got a good view of the stranger.

   "This is Armaan Rajput, Riya, and Armaan, this is Riya Roy," Madhan said, introducing the two of them.

   Armaan Rajput was six feet, with ultra sharp features. In other words, he was a greek god. He was, however extremely dark, which was surprising for a North Indian. His face was flawless, and he wore a leather jacket, and brown cowboy boots. A typical gangster look. Dang, why couldn't Madhan look like that?

   "Oh ho ho, so you weren't lying about getting hitched. Can't believe it, man. You got yourself a doll," he said, looking at Riya, sizing her up.

   Riya took and instant disliking towards him. "Excuse me," she said, curtly.

   "Riya make him a cup of coffee," Madhan said, to her back. He saw the look on her face and was eager to get Armaan out of her sight. She looked dumbstruck for a moment, and knew that Riya thought Armaan was good looking. It stung, but he knew it was obvious. Compared to him, he looked like a beggar.

   Riya scowled, but held back a retort, knowing she was in no position to argue.

   Armaan walked inside without any invitation and plopped himself onto the sofa.

   "So what brings you here," Madhan asked quietly.

   "Heard a ton of shouting. Came by to find out if everything was okay."

   "Thank you for checking, but nothing is going on. Can you please leave?" Madhan asked, irritably. This guy was too nosy for his own good. Armaan was his neighbor and friend, but he wasn't someone he could trust. Now that he knew Riya thought he was good looking too, made him desperate to send him out.

   "Nope. Not until I get my cup of coffee," Armaan said. He got up from the sofa and peeped into Riya's own. "Trouble in Paradise?" he asked, raising his eyebrow.

   "No," Madhan muttered.

   "Then why are you both sleeping in different rooms?"

   Madhan sighed.

   Armaan widened his eyes. "Oh, it was an arranged marriage. Right."

   Riya came out of the kitchen with a coffee mug. She handed it to Armaan without looking at him in the eye, and shut herself in her room.

   Armaan left after a few minutes, and Riya came out when she heard the door close.

   "I don't trust him one bit," Riya said, with distaste, looking at the door he just left in.

   Madhan retorted, "I trust him more than you atleast. He's like my brother." Madhan was so furious at Riya that he didn't care that he was lying. "I don't want to hear you say anything about him," he continued, his anger seething. One, he was angry that she lied. Two, he was angry that nothing he can do will ever win her over.

   Madhan went to his room and didn't come out of it until that night. All he could do was think and think about what he read in her diary. Two things kept repeating in his head.

   If he could give me time to fall in love with him.

   If only he were slimmer, I would be a bit attracted to him.

   He wanted to think Riya was shallow and that all she cared was about looks and not the personality. But he couldn't. In her diary, time again she had mentioned how sweet he was to her. Would a girl who cared about looks think all that? But again, what was with that look? Why did she look at Armaan that way? With these thoughts running around in his head, he dozed off.

   It was seven o clock, and Riya was very worried. Madhan still hadn't come out of his room, and she knocked on the door, and even tried shouting his name. But yet no reply. Riya knew it was silly to think this, but she had seen so many dramas she couldn't help but contemplate if Madhan had tripped and hurt himself by accident.

   Fortunately, on the coffee table, was Madhan's cell phone. Scrolling up through the contacts list, she found Armaan's number. As much as she hated to, she had to call him for help. He was the only person she knew who would willingly help.

   After three rings, a sexy male voice answered. "Hello Maddy, need my help already?" he smirked.

   What the heck, Riya thought. "No," she said, rudely.

   "Whoa whoa whoa, is this Madhan's wife speaking?"

   "Yes, and I need your help," she replied.

   Armaan chuckled. "Help in bed I suppose?"

   Riya felt like throwing up. Here he knew she was married, and yet he was making a move on her? Did Madhan really think of Armaan like his brother? She hated Armaan's guts. Such a despicable man. She would choose Madhan any day, despite his looks.

  "Relax babe, what do you need my help for," Armaan said seriously.

   "I would really appreciate it if you would call me Riya," she said. "Any way, he's been in his room since you left, and isn't opening the door when I knock. I need your help in breaking it."

   "Okay, I'll be right there," he said and hung up.

   In two minutes, Armaan showed up, in a black t-shirt, and shorts. Riya looked at him, and seethed inside. Outside she just smiled. Armaan however misread that smile.

   "I get that a lot. Even from married women," he said, raising his eyes suggestively.

   "I don't know what you're talking about. But thank you for coming, " Riya whiplashed.

   "I'm sure you do know. I'm in 3B, just in case you need me," he said, smirking, but immediately got to business.

   "MADHAN I'm coming for you," he shouted as he ran to crash the door. At that exact moment, Madhan opened the door to find out what the commotion was about, and found Armaan crashing into him with a heavy force.

   "Oooooooof," Madhan yelled, as Armaan fell flat on top of him. "For a thin guy, you sure weigh a lot of pounds," he said, grunting.

    Armaan got up, seemingly unhurt, but had a purple bruise on his shoulder. "Shucks man. Couldn't you have opened the door earlier or later?" He put his hand out, pulling Madhan up without any effort. Riya noticed it, and her thoughts went to Aakash. He was equally as strong, and he never failed to impress her with his strength. Thinking about him made her sad.

   "What the hell are you doing in my house again," Madhan scowled, as he motioned Riya for an ice pack.

   "Your girlfriend here invited me home," he simply shrugged.

   "And you forgot to tell him the reason why," Riya frowned, throwing the ice pack at him, which he caught perfectly.

   "Why did you invite him here?" Madhan asked, quite angrily. He wondered if Riya was attracted to him.

   "Because you wouldn't open the door. DO YOU KNOW HOW WORRIED I WAS," Riya shouted.

   "I'm outta here then," Armaan said, patting Madhan on the back, and raced out the door.

   Riya shut the door and sighed, facing the door. "I called you a bunch of times and you didn't answer. I got really worried. You also locked your door."

   Madhan didn't say anything. He was still angry, but was genuinely surprised at her concern. Was he wrong about her?

   Riya turned around and found Madhan wincing in pain.

   "Sit down, " she ordered, motioning for Madhan to sit on the sofa.

   Madhan didn't feel like disobeying. He sat down obediently, and propped himself in a comfortable position.

   Riya took the ice pack, and gently nursed his shoulder, stomach, and face. He was completely blue all over. After about fifteen minutes, when Madhan's face looked a bit better, Riya asked him if he wanted dinner.

   He couldn't let the conversation go like this. He was still angry, but not so much now. Not after Riya showed a lot of concern, and nursed him. He decided to apologize to her, even though he didn't have to.

   "I'm sorry, Riya." Madhan said, softly. "I was thinking about everything. About what you wrote in your diary, about our fight, and about what we should do. I'm willing to give you another chance."

   "You have nothing to feel sorry about." Riya said, shamefacedly. And she believed that too. She should have told him about Aakash in the first place. "I'M really sorry, Madhan. I shouldn't have hidden a big thing like that from you. It was wrong. But I was scared. I didn't know if you would still agree to marry me."

   "You thought right, Riya. I thought you were a great person, but honestly, I'm totally in for love marriages. I probably would have tried to convince your parents to get you married to Aakash."

   Riya felt her eyes sting. Madhan was just too wonderful to her.

   "Thank you for giving me another chance."

   Madhan nodded. "I think you are a great person. And I was angry when I said that you can't love anymore. They say pain heals over time. Can you please try to give us a chance?"

   Now the tears started pouring.

  "I need time, please. I don't think I can even be friends with you right now. We'll be housemates. I'm sorry. I really am. It's all I can offer for now."

   Madhan merely nodded. This wasn't what he wanted to hear from her. Now he was at a loss of what to do. Did he overstep the boundaries? He did, his conscience told him. The girl just admitted she loved someone. How can he ask her to love him already.

   Madhan wanted to hit his head on the wall. But for Riya's sake he complied. By this time, all his anger vanished, but he was left with sadness. A feeling of being unwanted.

Okay, this was really sad for me to write :/ Hope you guys liked the chapter! Please vote and comment <3